Insights about the Footwear Materials ecosystem from the 2022 NW Materials Show
For the first time in two years, footwear material suppliers, brands, and other businesses were able to come together in person at the NW Materials Show in Portland in August.
The Materials Show provides opportunities to see the latest innovations and trends in the Footwear industry, to find new sources, and work through ideas and developments.
But the true value of the show is to build new partnerships, maintain strong connections, and learn from and support each other. And after two years apart, the opportunity to strengthen those personal relationships and collaborate on trends couldn’t be more important.
What did we learn from our conversations - and what trends do we see impacting the footwear materials industry?
Sharing is paramount, and it’s easy to be overlooked when “out of sight, out of mind”
There are many materials suppliers in the industry, and it can be challenging for brands to keep suppliers in mind or have up to date information. It is important to cultivate those personal relationships to keep you top of mind, but don’t just rely on those relationships or in-person conversations to stay relevant. It is critical to proactively connect and share your capabilities regularly, particularly if your company’s capabilities are rapidly evolving.
Many suppliers are missing an opportunity to build stronger connections by providing well-curated, highly informative, interactive on-line catalogs, with clear ways to get in touch. Make it easy for brands to know your capabilities, contact you, and work with you.
Get prepared for growing sustainability and traceability requirements
Sustainable language was present everywhere at the show. But each supplier has a different definition of what it means and how they market it. Some suppliers provide more evidence of sustainability than others, and attendees are somewhat suspicious of greenwashing. Traceability of raw materials is a growing concern and not all suppliers are as prepared as they need to be.
If you don’t have a strategy for addressing these sustainability and traceability demands, the time is now to develop your plan.
Manufacturing Country of Origin diversification is becoming a reality
Manufacturing Country of Origin (MCO) diversification has moved firmly into the near-term strategy for suppliers as well as factories, whether it's born from brands' growth expectations, a supplier's long term business strategy, or concerns with mitigating political risk. We see MCO diversification as a positive move for the industry to improve lead times, reduce transportation, support local economies, and mitigate risk.
Suppliers need to consider not only where current production is, but where it may be in 5-10 years. Are you in conversations with your key partners about their near- and long-term production shifts?
We’re thankful we were able to gather together with partners and colleagues in person, continuing to deepen those strong relationships built over decades of experience.
And there are definite strategic next steps suppliers can take to capitalize on the momentum of the show to strategically raise your profile, to communicate your unique services/offering, and to network with potential new business partners.